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Show ' Wh11f thc·tii!IJ offlm·g ttndw clrijlit~llt, before weak Chrifiiam any more than any private per fen: 'and therefore fuch ~ommands arc in things not under the command 6f Su perrou rs. Secondly, I think it mofi be rdlrain ed or chid1y limited to malters relating to G;dnvor(hip. I am lure concerning fuch it is that the Apollle I peaks: if we do not thus limit it, we ·may take away allrhat narural liberty ic things which God hath given us. But to proceed, ~.Branch; · Yo~ may lind a ChritHan, that through weaknefs isfaUe>l into a f • ult,_Jt IS your duty to retlore him in the fpirit ofmeeknefs . .You may hnd one that hath nor y<t v,ot a conquetl over his pailions, an_d upon that account full of infirmitin, it is your duty to bear w11h them; /lrengthen him what you can, but do not make him more weak. You may find fuch a one .l~ttrthen'd with the fenfe of fin, with crolfes-and trials : weep wilh them that weep, Bear one ~n•therJ b11rthenr: Oh confider, 1. Thus you fuall fulfil tbe Lall> •fChr~/t, Gal. 6. 3. 2.. Thus you !hall imitate your great Lord and Ma(ler; hecarriestheLambs in hisbo[om. And then,3. You alfo may be made weak: A ·great ficknefs will make a /lrong man ":eak you know ; A great Temptation will make a flrong Chri· /han weak, confidering thy [elf left thuu alfo be tempud, which is the ApollJes argument Gal. 6. r. annexed to that piece of our .Du· ty in this, whkh lieth in the relloring of a lapfed Brother. It may be tho!~ words have two arguments in them : 1. as they alfert a poilib1hty for the very b,ft to be tempted, 2, as they may (tgnify, that the fupercilioufnefs and ill-carriage of llronger Chrillians ·may prov?ke God to let them 1~11 into temptation , that they may learn to p11y, help and deal gently with the tempted. You know the ScriptUie faith, That Chrifi alfo fuffered being tempted, that be might be able tufuccmr tbem-tbalare tempted. Indeed, we never hardly learn our duty to them that are weak, till we ha\'e beep our felves made weak. But I !hall add one word to the Trle•k.. al[o. ' I. Hath Chrifi fuch a tender care of you? 0 then, (though you be otherwife weak! yet be not ll'eaft in your love to him! doth he carry you in his arms ? do you carry him and his glory in your hearts ? The love of our Parents to us when we were Infants, their care at that time over us lhould never be forgotten by llS· ·Commonly we fee it amongll our Children , they love us better •When they are little weaklings and mull be carried .in ·our arms, · and l9r~~ard each other. ana brought up betwixt our knees than when they are growni' It f!lould no.t be thus with Gods children, and the rather becaufe w?lle they hve they will never oe aBle to !hift for themfelves but wtll llumble and fatl, and perilh if thrown off Gods hand. 'This lhould be argument enough to enftarne your lov~ to Chrill to conud·er the tender care he hath of you : but let me fut;her adtt. .2. •Ju aU that you can do for Chri(f; you can love him if you Wl11, but what can you do more ? Others can dlfcourfe of the Law and l.ove o! God, and do hlm fervice by informing, inflrllCl:~ lng, pl.eadmg with others; by fpeaking of the Law of God when they he d?wn, when they rife up, when they go out, and when they come 1.n : y<>u cann~t do ~ h i :, you ~r e wtaft in k.,nowledg. O! th~rs can d1fpute for Chnll, v1nd1cate h1s truths from his Ene"! les; You are weaft in judg,.mt, you cannot difpute for Chrifi; What can you do worthy of fo great a name as that of a €hrifiian? Y~>U can do nothing but Joye him, you can pant and breath after h~m, Y?U can d'ehght your fe lf in the Lord; you can prize h1m, h1s Law, h1s Love, his Truth, his Ordinances, above te? th~llfands of _g~ld andftlver; You can delight in communion wllh h1m, and· reJmce when any faith unto you Comt let ill go Hp to tbe houfe of tbt Lord. ' ' 3~ ?i~e me leave to tetl yo~. 'Ibat •f aU ""ak.,ne{fes contingent to Chnfha~s, we~k.,nt{s mlove IS the worft and moll inexcu{able, as a ftr;ngth m love IS of all ftrength ·the moll defirable and valuable. 1I v1gour and llrength in love to God is ten thoufand' times mllre ~aluable than a ftr~ngth In knowlcdg, or a found nels of judgment; ~ndeed they are chrefly valuable in reference to this. When light •? the he~d pr~ducet~ heat in the heart; then it is a blelfed light, liut elfe It ligmfieth httle; fo that a weaknefs in love is thr wort! of ~eaknefs, yea and moll inexcofable. A Chrillians weaknefs in Judg!Dent may be excufed from a want of natural parts, his weaknef~ tn knowledg may be dcufable from his want of parts, want oft1me, want of fuch means and· advantages as others have: but w~at canll thou fay, why thou lhouldll not love the Lord Jefus w1th all th,v heart, . all thy foul, and all thy firen,g~h ?· Oh, be not weak m love; rf you be weak in faith, yet be nor )IOU weak in love. 2. Secondly, Hath Chrifif11,cha tendercareofhis liHie~nts? f .ff tbm , |